Recent NFL signing can finally put one silly offseason Bears trade idea to rest just days before training camp starts
The Chicago Bears had one trade idea circulating for months that never quite made any sense and finally we can put that silly thought to rest before the start of training camp to avoid all drama.
After the sudden retirement of Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman, the Chicago Bears doubled-up at the position this offseason to ensure there would be no falloff at that spot, both in the short-term and long-term future.
The solution was trading a future fifth-round pick for veteran Garrett Bradbury and then using a second-round draft pick on rookie Logan Jones, which made him the first center taken off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Earlier this spring at rookie minicamp, head coach Ben Johnson suggested that the ball is in Jones’ court to push the veteran for the starting job, a comment that led many down the rabbit hole that Bradbury could eventually be flipped again to get Chicago’s pick back if he loses the job. There was one team that made the most sense as a trade partner in that silly narrative, and we can finally put that whole idea to bed.
Baltimore Ravens signing Ethan Pocic can put all Garrett Bradbury ideas to rest
The Baltimore Ravens were the one team people continued linking to a potential Garrett Bradbury trade and on paper, it would’ve made sense for the Ravens. Baltimore lost starting center Tyler Linderbaum in free agency and undervalued the run at the center position in the draft, leaving the team without a reliable starting option. For Chicago’s side, this idea never made any sense whatsoever, even if Jones wins the job.
Why would the Bears make another team’s problem their problem and give a rookie a starting job without any veteran presence behind him at such a critical position just to get a Day 3 pick back? It was a wild trade idea and finally we can put it to rest.
Over the weekend, the Ravens signed former Cleveland Browns starting center Ethan Pocic, who was recently cleared after suffering a torn Achilles last season. Now, Bears fans and the outside media can finally shut up about the idea of trading Bradbury, allowing the team to head into camp without any outside drama around the position.
Garrett Bradbury vs. Logan Jones is set to be one of the team’s top training camp battles
Ben Johnson once referred to the center position as the “quarterback of the offensive line” and his scheme puts a lot on the center’s plate from a mental standpoint. Which is why I believe this will be the team’s top battle to watch heading into training camp in a few days.
Throughout the offseason program, Bradbury took reps with the first-team offense at center, with his experience and intelligence giving him an early leg up in the battle. But, in camp, the staff will begin mixing players in and out of the starting lineup to gauge who the best starting-five will be up-front.
I’m still in the belief that Bradbury is the team’s ideal solution. Johnson proved last season that trust has to be earned from rookies before they can see the field, much less secure a starting job. And some of the team’s top rookies didn’t get fully integrated until weeks into the regular season last year.
Johnson will put a premium on Bradbury’s experience and if his play becomes a concern during the regular season, I could see Johnson pulling him for Jones. It’s similar to what the team did last season at left tackle between Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and rookie Ozzy Trapilo. But, when it comes to Week 1, I firmly believe Bradbury will be starting.